Quick Takeaways: Michigan Shakes Off Slow Start To Blow Out UCF
Michigan basketball improved to 4-0 on the young season with a 80-58 blowout of UCF at Crisler Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Michigan got off to a slow start in the opening ten minutes of play. The Wolverines were loose with the basketball offensively, and lackadaisical on the defensive end, as UCF opened a 25-13 lead.
But Michigan was lifted by its bench, led by Hunter Dickenson (8 first half points), Terrance Williams II (8 points) and Chaundee Brown (7 points). Brandon Johns Jr. brought a needed energy on defense as well for the Wolverines.
Michigan outscored the Knights 25-9 in the final 9:30 of the first half to take a 38-34 lead into the locker room.
The break did nothing to halt the Wolverines momentum, as Michigan dominated UCF in the second half. During one stretch, the Wolverines scored 20 consecutive points, and outscored the Knights 42-24 after halftime, and 12 of the Knights second half points came in the final 3:30 minutes with the end of Michigan’s bench on the floor.
Key takeaways from Michigan’s victory
1. Michigan’s depth is a real asset
Something that stood out right away as the Wolverines opened this season is their depth. That was on display again today against UCF. Michigan’s starters opened the game sluggishly, and Juwan Howard didn’t hesitate to go to his bench. Brown, Dickinson (14 points, 7 rebounds) and Williams (10 points, 6 rebounds) provided a scoring punch off the bench for the Wolverines. Michigan has eight guys who are capable of starting, and that number can maybe be bumped to nine after what we saw from Williams tonight. That depth could be invaluable for the Wolverines heading into what promises to be a grueling conference schedule in the Big Ten.
2. Chaundee Brown Jr. was sensational again
The transfer from Wake Forest burst onto the scene in his Michigan debut against Bowling Green with 19 points, and he was terrific again tonight for the maize and blue. Brown finished with 18 points and shot 4-of-6 from beyond the three-point line. He also added four rebounds and two assists. The transfer may be a streaky shooter – he went 2-for-12 from deep against Oakland and Ball State – but Brown could be a big contributor throughout the season for the Wolverines.
3. Brandon Johns Jr. sparks the defense
As mentioned above, the Wolverines were sluggish to open the game, and that was mostly apparent on the defensive end of the floor. That changed when Brandon Johns. Jr. entered the game. The junior brought grit and hustle off the bench and seemed to energize Michigan. The Knights got anything they wanted offensively in the opening ten minutes, but finished the game shooting just 35 percent from the floor after the Wolverines picked up its intensity on the defensive end.
4. An off-night for Isaiah Livers
Entering this game, Livers led Michigan in scoring at 20 points per contest. The senior had his worst shooting performance of the season on Sunday however, finishing just 2-of-9 from the field at 1-of-6 from three. Livers didn’t score his first basket until the 6:16 mark in the second half. Yet, despite his struggles, the Wolverines were in complete control throughout the second half. That bodes well for this team going forward. Again, it points back to the depth of this squad. One or two guys will inevitably be off their game on certain nights, but the Wolverines have enough pieces to be able to overcome off nights like the one Livers had on Sunday.
5. One more game prior to Big Ten play
The Wolverines are 4-0 and will likely reenter the Top 25 in the upcoming Associated Press poll. Michigan will play its final non-conference game this Wednesday against North Carolina State in the Big Ten/ACC challenge before opening Big Ten play at home against Penn State. There’s a lot to like about this team through four games, and Michigan should be part of the conversation in terms of teams capable of winning the conference title. However, the Big Ten is absolutely loaded with talented squads, and the Wolverines will have to bring it night after night in order to contend for the crown. Slow starts like we saw tonight, and bad performances like we saw against Oakland, will nearly always get you beat in Big Ten play. Michigan has a good mix of experience and youth, and should hold its own in the best conference in America.
